Tony Sousa, Assistant Town Manager advises that Oxford Town Manager Jen Callahan recently announced that Oxford is the recipient of a state Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness grant award of $206,000 to restore a blighted property into a pocket park. Additionally, the Worcester County Horticultural Society recognized the town of Oxford with its 2025 Community Greening Award, honoring their Grow Native for Pollinators Campaign which took place at the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill.  The award celebrated municipal efforts to enhance environmental stewardship, engage the public, and promote sustainable horticultural practices. Oxford’s campaign has transformed local landscape, both literally and figuratively, by encouraging residents, businesses, and civic groups to convert traditional lawns and hardscapes into native plant habitats. At the heart of the campaign is a community-wide challenge to plant one acre of pollinator-friendly native habitat, a goal that is already halfway met with over 20,000 square feet planted to date. 

“This award is a testament to the power of community-driven stewardship. From our students to our seniors, Oxford residents have embraced the Grow Native for Pollinators Campaign with purpose and pride. Together, we have shown that small changes in our yards and neighborhoods can create lasting impacts for our environment and future generations,” stated Town Manager Callahan, “Through a creative mix of public events, school partnerships, civic engagement, and municipal infrastructure improvements, the initiative has brought environmental education and action to every corner of town. From low-mow zones and rain gardens to bee houses made by schoolchildren, Oxford’s approach combines science, sustainability, and shared civic pride.”

Highlights of the campaign include Celebrate Pollinators Day, educational festivals, and outreach booths at community events; youth participation through the Girl Scouts, National Honor Society, Worcester State University interns, and public-school art programs; distribution of hundreds of native plants, garden kits, and sunflower seed packets; creation of rain gardens, low-mow zones, and expanded stormwater education initiatives; and engagement of 80+ volunteers and 30+ local partners.

The Summer Bandstand Concert Series continues through the summer at Joslin Park on Sundays with music from the East West Trio on July 27; Reminisants on August 3; Rock Blockerz on August 10; East Woodstock Cornet Bank on August 17; and Double Shot on August 24. July and August concerts are held from 3-5 p.m. and are funded through the Janet Malser Humanities Trust. 

The town is also still looking for a Conservation Commission volunteer. The Conservation Commission protects wetlands in the town by administering the Massachusetts Wetlands Protect Act and the town of Oxford Stormwater Management By-Laws Chapters 66 and 67. The Commission also provides assistance to other town boards and departments regarding natural resource protection. The Commission generally meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month to hold public hearings for proposed projects falling under their jurisdiction. 

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